What?? Where have I been? See, step away from MDC for a few hours, and I miss a labor! Here you were, pregnant one moment, and next, announcing a new baby. This is going to be one surprising month, I have a feelin', hehe

So. On Sunday, Nov 1, I started having some regular contractions at about 9:00pm and started timing them shortly after. 9 minutes apart but more like just strong cramps. By Monday morning, they were 5 minutes apart and felt much different than the night before- definitely more of a concentrated tightening in my uterus. Never did feel them in my back. So, we waited a while and called the hospital and I explained my situation.. they said "would it make you feel better if you came in to be checked?" So, we finished packing, and loaded up the 2 dogs and DD into the car to go to my in-laws'. We got to the hospital and they put me on the monitor and checked me. 2 cm dialated, 25% effaced. They didn't have me walk to see if the contractions got stronger- they told me I was not in labor and sent me home. On the walk to the parking garage, my ctx started getting stronger. I chalked it up to nothing and we went home. Around about 2:30, my contractions were 5 minutes apart and lasting about 45 seconds. I tried laying down, walking, taking a shower,and drinking water... nothing helped. But, they were not yet a minute long and they got kinda erratic occasionally. Like, we would chart for a half hour of 4 min apart, then get a contraction 8 minutes later lasting 30 seconds... still kinda irregular. At about 7:00 I called the answering service to page the OB on call. Then I walked around the house through several painful contractions, moaning, yelling, etc. No call from the doctor. Called again. Didn't get a call back. Meanwhile, DH is cleaning the toilets, walking the dogs, doing things to keep busy. At this point my contractions were 2 min apart. I am screaming for DH to get me to the damn hospital NOW. Then (an hour after the initial call), the OB called and told me to come in. Gee, thanks. So off we went, driving 95 miles an hour with me screaming "no no no don't come out yet baby!!!" I had this urge to push and I didn't want to because DH can't even bring himself to cut the cord, never mind deliver a baby! I could not even sit down- I was on my hands in the passenger's seat because it hurt too much to sit. All my contractions were in my legs and front of my uterus. Nothing in the back. We flew to the hospital, they met me with a wheelchair, which I refused because it hurt too much, and they made me go to registration. !!!! I was yelling at the registration lady that I needed a bed NOW before I had the baby in the lobby. The nurse came, I ran to the room, and they were trying to get my johnny on and my pants off. Then my water came gushing out everywhere, it was CRAZY. I am screaming my head off that i have to push (while I am still standing with my pants around my ankles). I laid down on the bed and they checked me and I was fully dialated. Holy crap. So, they all got their masks on and stuff and I immediately started pushing. It was crazy.. it was so empowering to not have any pain medication. They didn't even get my name I don't think because it all happened so fast. So, I pushed and pushed maybe a total of 8 times and out he came. I thought he was already out because it was such a crazy feeling, I thought I felt his head and shoulders come out and it seemed to me that he should have been completely out already, but they said "OK, I see his head!" I was like "He is still IN THERE?" So, I pushed and out he came. I can't even describe it to you first-time mamas. It is such a great feeling.

So, I have to say if I had stayed in the hospital after my earlier visit in the day, I am sure I would have given into an epidural because I just wanted to rest between contractions. They were coming so fast, I was exhausted and just wanted to have a few minutes. But I feel a million times better this time than I did with DD (induction with epidural). The only thing that hurts slightly is my uterus when I nurse. Oh, and BTW, he is nursing GREAT despite a very difficult time I had with DD.

We love him sooo much! He has the coolest, hippest hair too. Funny. DD had blonde, almost white peach fuzz and he has this funky little spiked hair-do...

Total time elapsed from when we pulled into the hospital till he was out: 10 min. AARGH! nothing like cutting it close.